Cruel
by Olive nerd
Summary: AU The Goblin King is growing weak and slowly fading, all because of a love one mortal girl cannot share . Therefore, his throne is being passed down to the only Fae descendent left; Pitch Black. Now Jack Frost is sent to annihilate the one they call the Labyrinth's Champion. Jack/Sarah
1. Chapter 1

Cruel

Prologue

**Here is a crossover experiment between Jim Henson's "The Labyrinth" and Dreamworks/ Paramount Picture's "Rise of the Guardians". I don't own any of these movies, and I hope this appeases you all! (Here it is with the not-so-catchy title name!) If the layout of this fanfic confuses you, please politely inform me in a review and I'll gladly try to clear the air. **

Magic. Very few places in the contemporary universe we live in have single droplets of this very substance. I bet you didn't even know magic was the one substance we could not live without, did you? Indeed, there are the elements from your modern periodic table and the theories conjured from your persistent kind. Oxygen, nitrogen, helium…need I list?

But young friend, what do you think categorizes the believed from the non- believed? Amuse me with your theory. Do you simply believe scientists and philosophers walked the ends of the earth with ideas on their backs? Did those colonists defeat their foes out of sporting chance? Did your artists simply start without an idea but a working arm or two?

I didn't think so. For you see, it does not take strength to compose a sonata, to form a country, to stand for what you believe is right. Sometimes, even common sense isn't needed! Believing is deceiving, and it has deceived your kind and the kinds of which composed the kind you are now into foolishly believing that what's never real will never be.

For thousands of years, for instance, you probably never gave my kind a lick of promise. What? What was that? Who am I?! Dear child, you should know better! Why, I'm the Narrator, of course! For as long as time ticks and tocks and the Man in the Moon shines each night, I shall declare what has been heard for all to hear.

Now where did I- Oh goodness yes! I began with your kind and what little they know. Don't misinterpret my views, dear one. You all are just so young like so many of us were long ago. In fact, Tsar Lunar, the Man in the Moon, himself was once a sporting chance for love. If I can remember correctly, he laid eyes on his "precious" Lulu at dawn. Ever since his own son, Pitch, chased him to the moon, they shared the skies together until both were forced to carry out their duties individually.

One duty that stirred the entire sky into a rumble was the duty of announcing a throne at its fall. One unique court of the Faes and Goblins faced that one horrible duty. The court, obviously the Fae Court, was barely continuing to run Goblin City and its infamous Labyrinth because its king was dissolving.

What or who would make the devilish and outspoken King of the Goblins weak before his subjects? The whole court was puzzled with this enigma until all hands were directed towards King Jareth's eccentric and quiet twin brother, the King of Nightmares, Pitch Black.

He was said to corrupt and out for the throne. True, the rumor had its honest side. Pitch had attacked his own family once upon a time and sent Tsar Lunar to his post. Yet, not only did the brothers stick together as friends for centuries and share powers, (for Jareth was also acknowledged as the King of Dreams,) they were halves. Fae halves would often share the throne until both disappeared from the underground. However, Pitch Black was notorious for his nightmares and rickety temper with the mortals Aboveground, so crowning him was a terrible risk. Peace was sought for, and peace just wasn't something Pitch could learn to tolerate with.

Seeing Jareth fairly give children wished away safety and handle the goblins was peaceful enough for the court, and it needed to keep this peace with its beloved king before his time was drained. That was why Pitch was the first to blame. Of course, the court wasn't going to be made fools of by some rumor. And debate after debate, evidence layout after evidence layout, they found the misfortunate suspect.

Not too long ago, a mortal infant was wished away by a wishy-washy fifteen- year old girl named Sarah Williams. Even when children wishing away children was nothing new or startling, it was said her raven hair and emerald eyes bewitched the king into letting her win. Yet, King Jareth informed his subjects and even his people about her winning with only words and loyal friends. Since then, the labyrinth has declared and honored its very first champion.

However, this didn't exactly spell threat to the court, until a servant caught his Majesty mumbling the exact six words every Fae knew caused defeat and grief and scarcity of dreaming.

"_You have no power over me." _

So that was it. Sarah Williams was killing the Goblin King, all because she didn't return his love. Immortals knew better than to relate with mortals, much less fall in love with them, because law forbid it since immortals fled to the Underground. Besides, any human would perish in an immortal lover's endless world. But, this was scandalously an exception. The king was a king and had his say, and the girl, under ancient law, never had an exact say to begin with! That is, until she swept the maze with her victory.

The whole kingdom could only look over King Jareth in despair and remorse. The appointed goblin and protector of mirrors, Hoggle, caught the king shattering mirrors with blood red fists and dry groans. One shard from the mirrors slid to the goblin's feet, and that was enough for the court. Never shall any being, immortal or not, have to feel death twice. They were sharp enough to think of something or other! His time, their time, was running out.

All hope seemed lost until a flimsy sheet was whisked to Jareth's most trusted subjects. It was a reminder from Toothiana, the tooth fairy, that the goblins needed their monthly checkup by next week- and that did it. One by one, goblins were requested to march for the Guardians. Thousands agreed, desiring their 'Kingy' to return to his snarky self.

Who are these Guardians? Well they are the five spirits that guide you and many others through your dreams and beliefs. But other than protecting your world, they protect their allies, such as Goblin City's subjects. So, it was no surprise at all when old jolly Nicholas St. North bounced merrily with the other Guardians and called for a meeting when the reply to Toothiana's reminder came zooming to the North Pole….

"I say their checkup is still delayed," Toothiana mumbled as cheerfully as she possibly could. Her tiny attendant fairies nodded in agreement and huffed.

Beside them, the bulkyEaster bunny, Bunnymund, shrugged his shoulders. "Well? What does it say?"

"I only read the first part," North admitted shyly, carefully reading the next lines with a small pout. "Hmm… I bustled in with news about an available throne before I read this." Gasps filled the room. "But now, it seems the death of King Jareth may be the cause of such an- an early coronation."

To North's right, Sandman asked about their options with his genuine hazel eyes. "I just don't know if you'd all like to hear, Sandy."

"How bad could it be," a chilling, unforgiving voice hissed by Bunnymund. "Doesn't his royal smugness have backup?"

"Jack," Toothiana spoke up on behalf of the team. "Listen, dear friend. As a starter, you don't know what Pitch is capable- will be capable of doing if he ever sits on Goblin City's throne."

"Are there any other options for Blondie tight pants," Jack continued questioning, sending the nervous tooth fairy an icy glare.

"Now that you mention it," North mumbled while continuing to briskly read. While reading, a handful of words kept the guardian silent. Nothing else was heard in the room besides Bunnymund's ears twitching and the tooth fairies' familiar fluttering of wings.

"It says the second option is," North paused for a slice of air. "-Murder, Jack. Murder. To balance the health of the king, vengeance must be sought to the one Champion of the Labyrinth. And as it says here in scribbled writing…. oh dear."

"What," Toothiana squeaked, before covering her mouth with her hands and staring at a perplexed Bunnymund. "Sorry! I get jumpy in suspenseful times."

"It says here that the Champion is the catalyst, the one cause of King Jareth's grief before death. So with that, it is their reluctant mission to request if we'd be able to, well, assassinate the Champion of the Labyrinth."

Another silence followed until Sandy jumped to Nick's eye level with a formed sand knife and a shrug of his shoulders.

"Yes, Sandy. This is murder, something I know you nor I cannot do."

"Is this even safe," Toothiana barked, still feeling weary about the news. It pained North and Bunnymund to see the usually optimistic guardian pale bitterly. "Can they- we even do that?"

"Maybe it's a false note," Bunnymund exclaimed confidently. "C'mon! We've dealt with some pretty serious foes, but killing a mortal? Who do they think we are? Just because we destroy nightmares' path, it doesn't mean we'll kill off some mortal! Right?"

"Assassins of what was once believed in," Jack answered coolly. "They think we're their soldiers. When in reality, there's more strength and more passion driven in us. They just can't-"

"Everybody," North shouted hoarsely. "We just need someone who might just assassin this person. I know it's not the best job out there, but hey. The only way we can avoid another threat of war between Pitch is to come to an agreement, and they'll only get more ominous as we go."

Glances were sent across the room, and not even the Yetis squeaked to break the eerie tension. Sandy summoned up morsels of courage and pulled out his knife. But to his disappointment and shame, North simply shook his head no.

"You know you can't; your heart is far too big, as big as my beefy self." Chuckles sprang from the room, and all were glad for a taste of humor before facing another tribute. Once the laughter had finally died off, Toothiana stepped up to North.

"Really," Bunnymund hooted. "Really?! Toothiana, I know you couldn't kill without guilt. Listen North, let me take this Victor-"

"Champion," Jack corrected with a wryly grin.

"Whatever Frost! North, on behalf of the Guardians-"

"-None of you even know what killing is," Jack scolded, standing into stance and twirling his staff. "At least send a guy who knows, whose felt it. What's the deadline?"

With his warm eyes widening tentatively, North beckoned the boy by his side and whispered, "Jack. It- It must be done before the first new moon. Precisely… about a week from now. Would you?"

Jack joined the spirit's side with small steps. His hood flapped behind his nape and his grip on his thin staff increasing with every step. Breaths as merciless as the Artic Circle teased his own lips, and a small smile was sent to North. "Under one request; can I have a name?"

**I'm crossing my fingers to see if this goes well! A review would be appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1

**Hi again! I just wanted to point out this fanfic takes place two years after Sarah defeated Jareth and rescued Toby at fifteen. **

"Sarah!"

"Honey, are you sure bringing Toby was a good idea when-"

"Sawa!"

A curly blonde-headed toddler with soft grey-blue eyes ran straight into his raven-haired step-sister, causing her to trip on her own butterfly print suitcase with laughter. Either she needed to work on flexing her thin arms, or Toby was getting bigger before Sarah's eyes. He was only three, for goodness sake! He already pounced her and kept a firm, bruising grip on her left leg.

"You'll see Sawa next week buddy," Robert, Sarah's father, gently reminded his son, sending "Sawa" an apologetic smile.

He apparently wasn't going to let her off the hook with nicknames just yet, not with a pouty Toby to distract. She was too distracted in her own world to care at all anyway. The seventeen year old was extremely tired and drained from the ride to the airport, and her posture was probably the reason for Karen's obnoxious foot tapping. The ride was about eight hours, and none of Karen's boasts about her parents made her feel any better about the trip.

As gloomy as the issue was, Sarah had no choice. Ever since she retrieved Toby from Goblin City and its intricate labyrinth, Robert noted Sarah's sudden and strange change of heart. No longer was his only daughter and prized gem a girl with dreams; she was a girl with dreams and plans and goals. Her schedule became more productive, more tactful. Driving lessons at sixteen breezed by after she signed up for piano and tennis lessons. College finally became a topic of interested and was brought up on her seventeenth birthday. Moods lessened until both Robert and Karen were puzzled. One change after another left the Williams household in a silent yet oddly satisfying phase. Both Robert and Karen took Sarah's new attitude for life admirably and never was a comment said.

But one night, Sarah had a nightmare. Karen assured her husband that he was overreacting, but Robert knew better. His little girl never encountered a nightmare ever since Toby was born. The last nightmare was more than ten years ago on the night when Sarah's mother drowned at the boathouse her theatre group stayed at. Unlike that nightmare thought, Sarah sleepwalked nonstop, throwing her arms around wildly as if something was encumbering her to fight.

Yep, she was her mother's daughter, Robert concluded. The one resolution aside was therapy, but Karen was appalled when the idea was brought up.

"She needs company, Robert," Karen chided softly. "Girls now seem to have no clue about the opposite sex even! She also needs exposure, a breath of air in a new setting. Confining her with those- those condescending jokers downtown will only worsen her mood and Toby's. Why not just send her with me to Mommy and Daddy's?" And with one dimply smile and flush of rosy cheeks, Robert nodded with his signature harbingers. Karen wasn't letting go without that smile, that rush of joy from a new idea, and that plan. So once winter break came breezing down their avenue, Robert and Karen bought two plane and bus tickets to Alaska.

That was the easy part; Toby had cried for three weeks in a row after hearing the heartbreaking news. It was his older stepsister he admired the most, the only sibling he had to hold on to, who wouldn't scold him or hurry off without plans later. He would learn to love his Mom and Dad, but something was almost surreal about Sarah. Now she was leaving him with his toys and books and lack of imagination. Begging and crying were his only gifts to give to get Sarah back.

"But I wanna go or she stay," Toby hollered. Above him, Sarah flushed and mouthed, 'I'm clueless' to Karen, who looked just as facially crimson as her stepdaughter. Other children and parents were side-glancing at the foursome as they hurried to their flights' gates.

'Tell a story or something,' Karen mouthed back, just as Robert almost tripped himself. He had never heard any child scream so clamorously in his entire life, much less his own boy!

Sarah felt a rush of the cool breeze seething into the dull but overcrowded with impatient and cautious flyers and drivers and tagalongs. Ideas came like shivering to Sarah; they were sudden and spontaneous like flickering light bulbs all huddled together. The breeze, for instance, took her back to her sketches of cages and imprisonment…

"The King of Nightmares always answers the screams of children," Sarah mumbled as softly as she could. Toby's red ears flapped eagerly and Robert seemed unfazed, but Karen crossed both arms with a huff. Even with the new change of attitude, both women were stubborn with Toby's stories. Sarah was put in charge and had her say, but Karen insisted she read in all her parental guidance books that toddlers are better off without 'fairytale folklore.' Sarah, meanwhile, insisted to herself when no one was around that fairytales and folklores were different from her stories. Whether they'd ever believe her or not, the Goblin King was real, and all her dreams were the closest signs from her experience that she could ever lend to him.

"He does?" A blameless stare faced a serious face. "Sawa, does that mean he's after us?"

"Robert we need to make do with time," Karen interrupted, gently tugging Sarah's right arm persistently. "Say goodbye now, sweetheart. Mommy is leaving with Sarah. But we'll be back with some neat stuff from Alaska-"

"What about the Nightmare King," Toby whined. The boy bent his tiny knees and hopped an impressive height to Sarah's hip, making her groan and drop the suitcase straight on Robert's feet.

"Ah, Toby son-"

"Does he know the Goblin King?"

"Sarah put a stop to this," Karen ordered. She outstretched her hands to her son, but the boy wouldn't let go. With one greater huff, Karen stole a glance at her watch and scowled. "Robert, we have precisely ten minutes! And you know I wanted to talk to Sarah-"

'As much as we both belong on different flights,' Sarah snapped in her mind. As she pretended to glance around dully, she caught the flashing clock from the lengthy list of present, boarding, and delayed flights. 'We really do have ten minutes left,' she realized.

Turning to Toby, Sarah could only sing the few words that calmed him down. "_As the pain seeps through, makes no sense for you…"_

The sniffing boy gave her his biggest smile and sung rather melancholically for a boy at three. _"Every thrill has gone, wasn't too much fun at all."_

Then, there was the line they always sung together. _"But I'll be there for you- ou- ou, as the world falls down!"_

By the time they finished the song, Karen was ghost white, yet he released the pressure he had on her leg and skipped to Robert gleefully.

"Then I guess a flight is at hand," Robert announced, glad to have another sensible thought save the day. "We'll miss you, baby. Say hello to them for me, Karen. I love you both!" And with the last hugs and kisses and grunts from Toby, both women were off to Gate 2A, one looking for available lounging seats and one looking for the fastest way out.

Far away from the airport the women were in, a spirit was beginning his journey on the winds, eyes locked on every acre in sight for the champion. Needless to say, nature of the skies never disappointed Jack Frost on any mission so far, and it didn't schedule a betrayal on this night. That was why the skies could only rumble obediently when Jack whispered, "any vibe for flyers? North said she was escaping in the clouds."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

**Hey, guys! This is the flight scene where Sarah and Karen ponder. Enjoy! By the way in this chapter, the **_**italics **_**part is for the dream scene. **

Airplane food scraps and wrappers littered Sarah's lap that late evening on the flight to Alaska. The car ride was endless, as well as Karen's chatter, so she only had the nickel of time to grab a crushed granola bar. That was her breakfast, and it left Sarah ravenous for even cheap peanuts, cold pasta, and salty potato chips.

Since Karen woke up two hours earlier than her stepdaughter, she had time to dress neatly and eat a bowl of cereal. Her short strawberry blonde hair was neatly shampooed and combed, and her clear iris eyes shined with her bright red lips. Unlike Sarah, who wore sweatpants and an oversized sweater, (which Karen could hardly stand,) she wore a neatly tucked, carnation pink shirt under a navy cardigan. Her maroon skirt fluttered over her knees and sandals.

'She looked prepared', Sarah would always think. 'She always looked like the tactician with wit surpassing her majesty, while her lousy stepdaughter stayed with her ways and late waking hour.'

Unbeknownst to her, Karen was glancing over her. Even if Karen disapproved of Sarah dressing so casually when heading off to see _her_ parents, she found what made her stepdaughter stand out from other teenagers. Her wide emerald eyes were glowing even on the dim aircraft, and the girl was still as skinny and toned as ever. She had great qualities, too, and newly discovered interests in music and tennis. With the girl's makeup, imagination, and personality, the picture was framed already; Sarah needed a date.

Karen had tried constantly to get the girl to date ever since she laid eyes on her. Sarah was more hot-tempered and fierce then; much time has past since the two women first met each other face to face. But even after all the time spent on waking up to new and frightening situations, Karen pondered if Sarah was ready for love. No matter how hard she tried and no matter how hard Robert had tried to put his foot down, Karen insisted she received the experience of one date with one kind fellow before her time runs out. The middle-aged woman knew how fast time went, how long any woman can wait before she has missed her chance…

Now she was completely content and settled with Robert Williams and would never want any other man, but even at that moment she took the time to regret never meeting any other man before him. And with Sarah still youthful and sharp, the step- mother wanted to give Sarah the chance she never had, the chance of young love.

After the full flight had ended and every passenger boarded off the aircraft safely, Sarah and Karen perked up to the monotone voice reminding passengers to stay clear of security vehicles and visit the baggage claim area for luggage.

"….And remember passengers that the baggage claim is on the bottom level. Thank you."

"You'll never have another peaceful flight like that," Karen commented as she raised her chin and searched for an escalator or two. "I don't think I heard any noises except for our breaths, Sarah! Even the children were dead asleep as if the ride was some sort of ride!"

"Or cradle," Sarah muttered, stealing a glance at her watch. "Do you suppose we could call a cab or –"

Karen waved her hand, dismissing the idea. "Goodness, no! When I last rode one of those horrible cars, that foolish driver made me pays twice as much as I needed to!"

If Karen hadn't been obnoxiously gripping her arm as they stepped lightly on the narrow escalator, Sarah would've tripped on her luggage in shock and disgust. Sarah felt sorry for Karen, but she wasn't young enough to simply brush off the subject and assume the accused didn't have a say in the matter. "But how far did you go?"

Hit with the unexpected question, Karen wrinkled her nose and dueled with the haze of her mind's memory. "Can't say I- Right! It was ten blocks and he promptly stated I'd pay –"

Their conversation was brought to a halt when Sarah suddenly felt a rough pressure on her left ankle. Looking down at her sweatpants, Sarah stared long and hard and at her feet. Her left sweatpants cuff had apparently dug its way into the escalator's side! How was that even possible? Sarah had no idea and was just about to burst with vexation and yell for Karen when the woman already at the bottom floor started shouting at the top of her weak lungs.

"Sarah? Sarah! Oh goodness! Oh how awful! S'cuse me ma'am, would you please call security? Sir, would you? Would ANYBODY?!"

The steps' vibrating and movement were making her heels numb and bruised. She tried yanking the cuff out, but just as she did, one of her shoelaces flipped loose into the same area as the cuff and remained stuck there. The few people behind her started informing others about the girl on the escalator as well as they came down, but some people only walked away.

'Great everyone now thinks I'm insane or just putting on some crappy show,' Sarah angrily thought. As she was thinking over the situation as calmly as she could, her right foot missed an active step and she tripped in her awkward position. Unfortunately for the teenager, the impact could've shattered her entire skull. Her head slammed on the escalator's steel handle and her back met the steps as she slipped into a painful faint spell.

Karen covered her mouth with shaky hands as she watched her daughter fall. Going up there was impossible for her. Even if any adult passerby attempted to race up the escalator to Sarah, he or she was aware that the active staircase would not submerge into his or her step and would continue preventing. But if Karen had somehow, against all odds, raced to her stepdaughter, little, barely visible shadows would've caught her vision. And they would've sprinkled black dust into her eyes like they had done to Sarah's own eyes.

_(Sarah's dream)_

"_You're wasting your time with observing your cards, boy," a low, soft voice spoke from the mysterious shadows surrounding a glowing globe. "That youth has only one lifetime to live before time takes its toll. The best time to act is now… when the kill is quick!"_

_As the voice intensified with passion, the silhouette of a young man shook its head and met with a taller, slimmer, older silhouette. The shadows then drifted to the taller silhouette with haunting howls. The other silhouette only shivered, clearly uncomfortable in his present place._

"_I didn't ask for your advice," the younger- looking silhouette snapped, aiming the staff in his hands at the shadows, which only hissed. "First off, tell them to quiet down for a minute. Second, don't steal my job."_

"_Oh my… I didn't know the Guardian of Wonder had enough green by his fireplace to spare! I thought he was more giving to those who actually have fears lamented."_

_The boy's silhouette stood back. "I can't believe any person would look so low as to judge another by wants!"_

"_Oh you and I both know your 'wants' are not like that. But, they might as well be." The slimmer silhouette shimmered away, yet his voice was still as confident as crisp as it was before. "He isn't that much of a payer, but he may as well be. I may not see the future, boy, but I know your just dying to have one belief from an actual person. You claim we are 'persons,' but I can see straightforward. Your 'person' cringes at the idea of no shape, no idea, no belief in you."_

_Black sand swirled both men. "No more mind tricks-"_

"_It's no trick, boy. That champion is only the first problem, as well as the killing. I'm here to simply provide you with reality; you've never been believed in…. and if you honestly think killing my rival for my brother's throne is going to revive your cold self-" A deep laugh erupted from the sand pits as they absorbed every inch in plain sight. "- Then allow me to take your burden and your __**unbelievable**__ uncertainty." The cackling only got louder and louder until the owner of the nightmare woke up with a throbbing pain on her neck…. _


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

Something soft cupped Sarah's cheeks, itching them. Her jade green eyes blinked open to mittens, huge, furry mittens, belonging to the only woman who could embarrass her dearly and initiate more commotion.

"Oh, baby!" Karen smoothed Sarah's hair and hugged her chest close to her chest, which surprised the younger girl. Oftentimes, Karen acted like she only cared about Sarah for her father; now was one of those moments that Sarah realized for a young adult she had undesirably poor judgment.

Weirdly, they were in a cab. "I didn't want you to suffer on the bus ride there, so I took your advice." She fanned herself and glanced at the barely visible driver in front of us. "Sir? Would you mind letting the windows down?"

"Yah sure yah want the taste of snow cone?" His accent- Sarah couldn't place it. It wasn't foreign to her, but she didn't know anybody with a similar accent either. Was it the Cockney accent? Or Scottish perchance?

"I wish you would stop dillydallying, Sarah baby." Karen reached for her purse and took out a red blue shade of lipstick, one shade Sarah hardly ever favored. "How do you believe your stories and actions are setting examples?"

Sarah really wanted to tell Karen her 'stories' were memoirs close to her wild and ardent imagination, especially after the night she ventured in the Labyrinth. And her 'actions' were just slips of clumsiness, and not everybody was divine like her stepmother. However, Sarah knew better than to insult any elder on a trip. She would balance her reasons with Karen's expectations.

"Toby will learn from me," Sarah confidently replied, looking out the window and leaning towards the cab driver. "Excuse me, sir? What-"

"I do not like it when you try to change the subject, Sarah! It's completely irritating! Now, as I said before-"

Sarah wore a lovely ring that day, a ring returned to her from the Labyrinth. But when her hands brushed the headrest of the taxicab driver's seat, it slipped off of her ring finger and fell in his lap, distracting him. That one distraction caused a wreck, that wreck caused Karen to scream, and that scream made Sarah dash crazily into the woods.

"SARAH!" She never stopped running, even when she heard Karen sob like a madwoman. Sarah didn't have time to think; she just had to get away for a little length of time before she started crying like a madwoman herself.

Truthfully, Sarah knew the ring was too loose, but sometimes, her mind was lost in a hazy phase without a brain's functions. She lost all common sense and was determined to survive the ride. Why for once couldn't she just think straight?

Before she knew it, Karen entered and obstructed her way deeper in the woods.

"Sarah," she sniffed, wiping her cheeks. "Let's bring you back, hon."

"Can I just have a moment-"

"NO! It's dangerous out here."

"It's dangerous everywhere to you!" A force, empowering as her will at fifteen, gave her the nerve to shove her stepmother and rush further into nothingness.

Nothingness it was indeed. Everything was black in her vision: the grass, the trees, and the skies above her. Only, there was a full moon, crisp, clean, and watching. Frankly, Sarah didn't know whether to run back or forward; no direction was meaningful to her.

Of course, it was winter in Alaska; the night and day hours were not like back home at all. Perhaps she should have returned to Karen then…. But when Sarah slumped by a cedar tree, (at least it appeared to her to be a cedar tree,) she was without a prayer.

Branches tickled her ribcage then painfully wrapped around it, her chest, neck, arms, and legs. Tiny figurines morphed into black sand in the night, cackling as she cried in terror. Sarah imagined she had gone over the edge unexpectedly and hallucinated, but her imagination wasn't wild enough to conjure the voices behind her head.

"Yah didn't even bring a bloody knife!"

"If you're so eager, you rabbit, do it yourself!"

"I have the next few months booked with a holiday, thank-you, unlike your ruthless behind!"

"What kind of holiday is Easter anyway? A month of memoirs after the nightmare entity himself committed genocide!"

Boy, she really did crack. That, or what she was hearing linked to her encounters before. Sarah made sure to lean back on the tree so that she could close distance from them and her and hear attentively.

Silence filled the night until the second voice grew tender. "Look, Bunny-"

"Think about whose got yah, Snowflake." Sarah heard the hopping of a strange pair of feet. "Killing an innocent girl, no matter what she has to do with Tight Pants, won't come clean to anybody. If you want faith back-"

"Get out of my sight." Sarah stiffened. The voice turned ice cold in a matter of seconds, and the owner of the first voice hopped off. When Sarah hung her head and was unable to picture things growing worse, the owner of the ice cold voice stomped over to her tree and sighed wearily.

"Well, Champion girl. Looks like you got a date with me in the Artic Circle-"

"Great," Sarah groaned. "Another adventure and a thicket of questions!"

Jack smirked. "It won't be that questionable soon really. See-" Light poured into the forest, and both spirit and mortal were plain in sight, staring at each other dumbly.

"Y-Y-Y…" Jack stuttered like this for a while until Sarah grew uncomfortable in her position and took up shouting.

"What? You know, it's not polite to tie someone up like this without a reason!" She was speaking insanely, she knew. However, Sarah also knew talking insanely would calm him down. "Well?" She sounded braver than she felt. "Spit it out!"

"You…" He stole another look at her, sighing agitatedly. "You can see me? When it wasn't even in the memoir?!" He kicked another tree out of irritation, and Sarah's brow quivered.

"Memoir? Who has a memoir in this discussion?"

Jack scowled and bent to her level. She took note of his dependent grip on his gleaming staff he held since she noticed him. He, meanwhile, took note of her lack of weaponry and how vulnerable she really was for any kind of well-known champion.

"King Jareth…" He strayed off when he pictured his next words' results. It would have been so much easier if she could've only been blind to him like many other morals. If she were, then he'd have less of a problem with killing her. Jack wasn't stupid; a shard or a 'bloody knife' as Aster put it would've done the job. He figured he'd be guilt-free, no words to the girl, no feelings hurt, a man's job done.

Only, he know had gotten to see her see him. She noticed him, and at the worst of times, too. Jack had to fib to cease the blood until necessary, or else the whole idea would start to really look pitiful.

"He wrote a memoir and mentioned you," Jack began off somewhat sheepishly. Those words were a hundred percent true. Here came the fib. "And he's in desperate need of your help, which is why I'm here."

Sarah fidgeted in her spot and fixed a stoic stare on him. Jack pictured her as witty, and she'd probably snap like a whip soon if he didn't think quick enough.

"We go far back, Sarah. He knows you like the back of his hand just like he knows me!" The lies poured out before he could stop himself. "And I'm an attendant to his court, and you see, that's why I'm a spirit-"

"I honestly have the highest respect you for," Sarah whispered, holding in a shaky breath. "But you must answer me here and now. Why would Jareth- I mean, why would the King of the Goblins need me after what I've done?"

He didn't know the answer to her question himself. Jack resisted the glow from the moon and the urge to shout at the entity in it. He caressed his staff with his hands, fighting the inner battle. If only she hadn't seen him!

"You don't know, do you?" Sarah offered a smile, which complimented the dark blue hue lurking in her dominantly green eyes. Jack saw her as a champion, yet he still would wonder why someone like Jareth would cross boundaries for a kid like her.

"Do you?"

"Not at all."

"Well then if you may release me, I'll join you." She wiggled her toes in her shoes, fighting off the frost.

Jack leaned on his staff and sighed contently. "What makes you think I don't think you may run off?"

"What makes you think I'll relent to that when you need me?"

"Headstrong," Jack cheered sarcastically. "How vivacious!"

Her glare suggested she wouldn't accept his joke. "If you were dutiful enough to your king, you wouldn't treat me this way."

"I'm lightening the mood, Queen Sarah."

She wiggled in her binds impatiently. "Please! Never call me queen. I trust our relationship, whatever it was, was strictly personal."

Jack instantly released her from her binds and helped her to her feet. "Listen, queenie. Before we ride, please realize these hazardous conditions are only for the benefit of us spirits. Don't pay them a mind!" He mischievously rounded her in front of him, and Sarah pouted.

"You never answered any more of my questions, and I don't even have a name!"

"Forgive me for my lack of care." Jack knocked her on the head with his staff and promptly scooped her up in his arms. "It's Jack," he murmured before flying off with girl and staff in grasp.


End file.
